GM crop ban extended in South Australia

South Australia is set to extend its controversial ban on the growing of genetically-modified crops until 2025.

The current ban will expire on September 1 in 2019 and was due to be debated later next year, but the Greens surprised the State Parliament with its motion to extend it for another 6 years, ABC rural reports.

Photo: Dennis F. Beek

Illegal to grow GM crops

South Australia is the only mainland state where it is illegal for farmers to grow GM crops and Tasmania has made the ban indefinite. South Australia's shadow minister for agriculture, David Ridgeway, said the Government tried to amend the motion to extend the ban until 2028, but it failed.

The only GM crops available to grow in Australia at the moment are cotton and canola, so for horticulture such as wine, livestock and seafood it does not matter if there is a ban or not.